An infamous computer hacker who spent time in federal prison and was later placed on the FBI’s most wanted list passed away at the age of 59.
After more than a year of fighting cancer, Kevin Mitnick passed away on Sunday.
Most famously, Mitnick was sentenced to five years in prison, including eight months in solitary confinement, for illegally accessing cell phones and copying software.
While prosecutors claimed that he could threaten national security with his access, supporters counter that his crimes did not actually cause any harm and that the punishment was not necessary.
Following Mitnick’s arrest, the “Free Kevin” movement gained traction, with supporters holding protests in support of the man who neighbors claim looked like an ordinary IT worker.
In his obituary, Mitnick’s family thanked everyone who supported him throughout the controversy and said that his life reads like a novel.
He still had a lot of living to do. The obituary states, “And we know, with broken hearts, that there will never ever be anyone like him again.”
At the age of 16, Mitnick started gaining access to unauthorized systems. His first target was a 1980s-era computer system being used by Digital Equipment Corporation.
He illegally downloaded the software after gaining access to the company’s system, which allowed authorities to find him and convict him in 1988.
He received a 12-month prison term and an additional three years of supervised release. After his release, he was apprehended once more for hacking Pacific Bell voicemail systems, and an arrest warrant was issued.
He eluded the law for 2.5 years while living under the radar. “I never intended to hurt anyone with what I did. I was just enjoying myself. I was being the magician by breaking the systems and getting the code” according to a report.
To get better at hacking them, that is why “I was going after cellphones, that is why I was going after operating systems.”
Even though Mitnick described his time in prison as a “vacation,” he still emerged from it a different person.
John Markoff, a retired New York Times reporter who covered Mitnick’s adventures, believes that Mitnick never truly repented for his crimes.
According to him, “What he did as an outlaw was to exploit the best quality in people – their desire to help.”
“Recall that he was sentenced to five years in prison for stealing software from various businesses. With an Israeli citizen, he was distributing the software.
“The companies paid a hefty price. He also caused long-lasting harm to people who lost their jobs as a result of his actions, but he has never accepted responsibility for this.”
After serving his sentence, Mitnick started to use his skills in other projects, including his cybersecurity business and public speaking engagements.
He gained the respect of those in the tech, governmental, and financial sectors by working as a highly sought-after security consultant.
His wife Kimberley, who is expecting their first child, is his sole surviving family member.
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